Transformer cooler and electric heater



June 12, 1923.

A. H. WAAGE TRANSFORMER COOLER AND ELECTRIC HEATER Filed Nov. 10

INVENTOR. 4/1 ft Waa e AT ORNEYS.

Patented June 12, 1923.

UNITED STATES ALVIN H. WAAGE, OF ROSEDALE, NEW YORK.

TRANSFORMER COOLER AND ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application filed November 10, 1921. Serial No. 514,124.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN H. VVAAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rosedale, L. I., in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Transformer Cooler and Electric Heater, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrical transformers and is directed more particularly to a transformer wherein either one or both of the coils thereof are made hollow to permit of the circulation of liquid therethrough, either for the purpose of cooling the trans former or heating the liquid or both.

In carrying out the invention at least one of the coils of the transformer instead of being formed from solid wire, as has heretofore been the case, is formed from hollow wire or tubing through which liquid is adapted to be circulated. Both coils of the transformer can be made of hollow wire or tubing or one coil may be of wire and the other of tubing, dependent upon the use to which the transformer is to be put, and, also, the purpose for which the coil is made hollow.

In one of its practical forms, the primary coil of the transformer may be of solid wire as usual, while the other coil thereof may be of hollow tubing and included in a water supply pipe, so that water flowing through the pipe will flow through the tubular coil. The leads to the tubular coil may be short circuited or electrically connected together at both ends of the coil, in which event, the passage of current through the primary coil will induce current into the secondary or tubular coil through which the water is flowing, with the result that the secondar coil will become highly heated and wi l serve to heat the water flowing therethrough. When used in this manner, the invention forms a simple and efficient water heater, although its use is, manifestly, not restricted to the heating of water since other liquids may be as efiiciently operated upon.

In another practical form of the present invention, the primary coil of the transformer is in the form of hollow or tubular wire through which alternating current is fed in the usual way, While liquid is passed through said coil for the purpose of keeping it cool. In this form of the invention, which is particularly adapted for relatively low voltage, the secondary coil may be either solid or tubular.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate different practical embodiments of the in vent-ion, but the constructions therein shown are to be understood. as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic showing of one form of the present invention; and,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic showing of another form of the present invention. 7

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to the invention as shown in Figure 1, 1 designates the core of a transformer, which, in practice, is preferably laminated, 2 designates the primary coil of the transformer and 3 the secondary coil.

In carrying out the invention as shown in Figure 1, the primary coil 2 is preferably of solid Wire and leads 4 and5 thereof are in electrical connection with any suitable source of electric current. A switch 6 is preferably interposed in said leads, so that the current from the source of supply may be readily switched into the primary 2, when desired.

The secondary coil 3 is in the form of a hollow wire or tube, having leads 7 and 8. The lead 7 is in communication with a suitable source of liquid supply, so that liquid may be caused to flow through said coil, and a faucet or valve is preferably interposed in either the lead 7 or 8 so as to control such flow of liquid. In the construction shown, the leads 7 and 8 are electrically con nected with one another in any suitable way, such as by binding them together by a wire 10, so that about the coil 3.

In practice, I may dispense with the switch 6 and place a switch in a bridge connection between the leads 7 and 8, but I prefer to permanently electrically connect the leads 7 and 8 together and employ the switch 6 in the leads of the primary.

In any event, it will be manifest that when current is 1passcdthrough the primary 2, a current wil be induced in the secondary 3 and said secondary will, because of the fact that its leads are electrically connected, become highly heated. If liquid is caused to flow through the leads, while in highly heatthey are short circuited ed condition, such liquid will manifestly also be highly heated the secondary 3.

In fact, experience has shown that, as a heater, the construction illustrated in Figure 1 is highly efiicient because of the large superficial heated area to which the liquid is subjected during its passage through the coil 8.

In practically carrying out the invention, in for example a water heater, the faucet or valve 9 may be provided with a suitable operating handle 11 which projects beyond the valve stem as shown at 12 and is connected by means of a link 13 to double throw the switch 6, which controls the current through the primary.- When the faucet is turned ofi as shown in full lines, the switch will be opened, so that no current will be flowing through the primary: However, if the handle 11 of the faucet is turned to the dotted line position to permit water to flow through the secondary, the link 13 will simultaneously effect a closing of the switch 6 and a completion of the circuit through the primary. If the secondary is short circuited, as shown at 10, the coil 3 will rapidly heat, so that after an astonishingly short duration of time, the water flowing through the coil will be found to be very hot. The temperature of this water is, of course, dependent upon the voltage in the primary.

I may, in practice, as hereinbefore stated, eliminate the switch 6 from the primary leads 41 and 5 and employ a switch in the wire 10. In which case, this latter switch may be coupled up with the faucet or valve and be simultaneously controlled therewith. The simultaneous control of the valve and switch is preferable, since current is not used while the liquid is not flowing. However, the control may be entirely separate.

In the construction shown in Figure 2, the core 1 is preferably laminated as hereinbefore described, but the primary coil 2, which corresponds to the coil 2 is of hollow or tubular wire, having leads 4; and 5 Current may be fed to the leads 4 and 5 through during its passage through solid wire leads 4 and 5*, while liquid may be caused to flow through the coil 2 through pipes 14 and 15, which lead into and out of the leads 1 and 5 respectively. With the construction, liquid may be caused to circulate through the primary and serve to maintam the same cool while current is fed therethrough. This construction is particularly adapted for use with relatively low voltage, since when operating with high voltages, the leakage through the liquid pipes 14 and 15 might be excessive.

The secondary 3 of the construction of Figure 2 may be of solid wire, but, as shown is of hollow tubular section, having leads 1* and 8. Induced current may be taken of? of these leads by solid wires 7 and 8 while liquid may be caused to flow through the secondary by means of piping connections 18 and 19 which lead into and out of the leads 7* and 8, respectively. If the flow of liquid through the secondary is purely for cooling the transformer, the construction may be as shown in Figure 2, but if it is desired to use the construction as a heater to heat the liquid passing through the secondary, said secondary may be short circuited in the manner described with reference to Figure 1 by including a wire corresponding to the wire 10, to electrically connect the leads '7 and 8 In the construction of Figure 52, valves may be introduced in the liquid leads and switches interposed in the solid wire leads, as will be manifest to those skilled in the art.

it will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description of the present invention in two of its practical forms, that the same may be employed either for the pur pose of keeping a transformer cool, for the purpose of heating the liquid or for both purposes conjointly. The present invention, in practice, may be used commercially for many purposes, and my reference in the specification to the use of the same as a water heater, is purely illustrative only. The invention is adapted for general application in the electrical arts and may be modified as by the substitution of equivalents without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is to be understood as broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims The manner in which the transformer in this invention is employed as a heater for liquids as well as the manner in which the transformer is kept cool, constitute novel methods and form part of this invention.

Havin thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A transformer provided with primary and secondary windings, both of which are tubular to permit the flow of liquid therethrough.

2. Atran sformer provided With primary and secondary coils, at least one of which is 5 tubular to ermit the fioW of liquid therethrough, Va Vular means for controlling the flu" of liquid through the tubular coil, means for controlling the passage of electric current through the other coil, and means for synchronizing the control of the liquid 1 and electric current, whereby the energizing current is allowed to pass through its associated coil only when liquid is flowing through the tubular coil.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

ALVIN HQWAAGE. 

